The necklace of the Maharani of Baroda
by SallyCarefree
Summary: A valuable and beautiful necklace goes missing. Neal is going to find it. Add Sara & Peter. Add New York, bromance and a crime to solve. That's the story in a nutshell. Takes place a few years after the last episode Au Revoir.
1. Chapter 1

Neal settled into the airline seat. Business class. It wasn't the same as first class, but still comfy. Not that the couldn't afford a first class ticket to New York! As has been proven, flight attendants remembered the face of first class passengers, whereas business class passengers were too many to leave a lasting impression.

Going home for the first time in years made him anxious and gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling at the same time. Walking down the familiar streets, drinking overpriced espresso, or having a dozen oysters at the best bar in town... Sharing lunch with Peter while complaining about the terrible smell of deviled ham. Oh no, most certainly not meeting his old FBI handler! By no means was he to cross the path of any FBI agent.

The flight attendant addressed him with a professional smile. "Would you like to have a glass of champagne, Mr. Turner?"

While sipping the mediocre champagne, he waited for the plane to taxi to the runway and finally take off. He planned to stay 5 days in New York, a week at the most. The job sounded interesting, yet not too dangerous or complicated. You could call it well paid entertainment with agreeable company as an additional bonus.

Neal traveled to the US for the first time in over three years. He had crossed European borders frequently, gone to Japan a few times and visited wealthy clients in the Emirates at least twice a year. Taking his nervous anticipation into consideration, though, you would expect that he was an inexperienced traveler.

True enough, New York was different. Home and abyss, friend and foe at the same time. His best and worst memories both were connected to that city. He had found love here - and lost it. Only here his heart felt free. He has been part of New York and New York has been part of him. He remembered the city painted in colors to outshine the sun.

It couldn't be helped - he has never felt complete anywhere else. London was great, Berlin buzzing, Paris charming, and Tokyo fascinating, even overwhelming. Yet still all the cities were lacking something: they were not New York.

They landed on time at JFK airport. His passport was high-end work so that he had no problems passing the border control. He traveled as Jonathan Turner, a wealthy Brit who lived in Brighton. The immigration officer asked only a few questions. "Are you visiting the US on a business trip?"

Neal smiled politely. "No, Mam. Just a quick vacation and then I have to head back." He could have turned on his charm, give her the full Caffrey treatment. But once again, he didn't want to leave a lasting impression.

She looked at the computer screen showing his travel details from the ESTA application. "I see you stay at the Belmont Hotel. Enjoy your stay and welcome to the US." With that, she handed him the passport back.

The con man had no intentions of staying the Belmont or any other hotel. Nevertheless, he smiled at her and nodded. "Thank you, Officer!"

He traveled light, only carry-on luggage, so he was out of the airport in a few minutes. Getting a taxi took a bit longer, but he waited patiently until it was his turn to take the next car.

It was a clear and cold winter day; the sun was shining bright but not giving much warmth. Neal couldn't care less about the cold, he was just happy to be home.

The taxi ride took almost an hour, but finally, they arrived in front of the townhouse in one of the nicer neighborhoods of Manhattan.

After ringing the bell, he announced himself through the intercom, "Jonathan Turner, International art thief, and con man. You asked for my services."

An attractive female opened the door. The welcome he received sounded stern. "Caffrey, will you ever grow up?" However, the smiling face gave the impression that his host was nevertheless pleased to meet him.

"Sara, I missed you, too!" A tight hug and passionate kiss later, she led him into the living room.

Both of them were adult as well as single. Their relationship was nothing exclusive, but they enjoyed each others company whenever they met.

Over the years, Sara Ellis had hired Neal's services for Sterling Bosch frequently. He put security systems to the test, helped to retrieve stolen goods from the black market, or obtained background information from dubious sources all over the world – except the US. Until now, his services excluded the US. Most of the operations were legit, perhaps bordering a bit on the gray area. Fortunately, no one at the insurance agency wanted to know details how a job was completed. They were just paying for the results.

Neal and Sara had met by chance in London a few month after his ' _death_ '. At least, it was chance on Sara's part. Neal might have carried out a thorough investigation before running into her ' _accidentally_ ' while picking up a glass of champagne at the opening event of a gallery in London.

After a stormy reunion affair, they established a successful working relationship with benefits. Every now and then, Caffrey took an assignment from her. If none of them was involved with someone else at the time, they used the opportunity well.

So now, Sara gave him the tour of her house. She had bought the property last year when she returned for good from Europe. "This is the guest room, if you want to settle here, make yourself comfortable."

Neal gave her an amused look. "The guest room? I heard the real estatenik - what was his name, Ken? - has disappeared from the scene. I pinned my hopes on staying in your bedroom."

The redhead had no objections. "Yes, his name was Carl, but otherwise, you're correct. He's gone and I'm not crying my eyes out. If that annoying Italian girl you fancied is a thing of the past as well and you haven't developed a habit of snoring, you're welcome to share my closet and my bed."

Once this was settled and celebrated, Sara briefed him on the assignment at hand. One of Sterling Bosch's clients, Daniel Beau Marshall, had purchased a necklace that had belonged to the Maharani of Baroda in former times. The exquisite piece of jewelry had been auctioned off for over $29 million 2 month ago.

A magnificent ruby, emerald, and diamond necklace of oriental inspiration had been created by Van Cleef & Arpels in the 1950s. The brilliant proximity of delicate gemstones, creating a flamboyant exuberance of colors, was a true feast for the eyes.

Sterling Bosch insured it against damage and loss. The insurance value was $40 million because the owner insisted on taking the future increase of value into consideration. Of course, they checked and approved the security system beforehand. Nevertheless, only two weeks after Marshall had stored it in the brand new safe at his apartment in New York, the valuable item was stolen.

Neal Caffrey couldn't stop admiring the full-size pictures of the necklace. He'd love to steal such a beautiful object himself. "I heard about Sita Devi's treasure. This is indeed a piece of art. Look at the sparkle, even the photo can't hide it. Do you want me to catch the thief or what's my job?"

The FBI was investigating the theft, but so far there was no real progress. The necklace has been taken at night when the owner was at a party. The staff has been put to sleep by gas radiating through the air condition. The locks at the front door were picked by an expert who knew that type of lock quite well. The alarm system got disabled and the safe was opened. No fingerprints, no other traces. International sources reported rumors circulating in Russia about such a necklace being up for sale.

The ex-criminal was impressed. "Sounds like a clean job, could have been me!" The grin on his face was annoying.

Sara wasn't in the mood for joking. "Will you stop it, Caffrey? This theft cuts down my yearly bonus by a 7 digit figure. It's not funny. Besides, I don't think it has been stolen. Daniel _Beau_ Marshall, that son of a bitch, is trying to pull a double-deal on me. It's your job to find the necklace and bring that bastard down."

Neal was amused. "Language, my dear!" While she cut him a face, he continued, "What makes you think he is hiding the little darling?"

Sara shook her head. "I don't really know. Just a hunch. The necklace was stolen only two weeks after we have issued the insurance policy. The amount insured exceeds the buying price notably. The thieves seemed to have a lot of knowledge about the security system. I did some digging myself. Marshall is a trust fund kid. He has sold his collection of expensive watches over the last two years. Three of his servants have left earlier this year because they were paid irregularly, waiting for months to get the money. Furthermore, his middle name is _Beau_ and he ogled my ass."

The last comment caused her old friend to laugh. "I can't blame him for that. It is an ogle-worthy ass by all means. But someone named Beau must be guilty, I agree. Is there a Mrs. Beau? Who was supposed to wear the necklace?"

Mr. Marshall was divorced without any girlfriend at the time being. According to his statement to the FBI, the bought the jewelry as a financial investment.

The former criminal consultant read through all the papers in the file with professional interest. He couldn't deny that Sara's theory might be worth looking into. "What does the FBI say? I guess they keep Sterling Bosch informed about the investigation. Maybe, your consultant, Jonathan Turner, could talk to one of the agents to find out what they know or which traces they follow?"

Sara Ellis had to disappoint him. "You won't be able to talk directly to the FBI team. The White Collar division is taking care of the investigations. Unless of course, you want to meet Peter Burke and explain why you're alive and kicking, using the alias of Jonathan Turner... In that case, you'll get me in trouble because Peter would ask some unpleasant questions who is employing you. If you have any questions to the FBI, I'll pass them on. You can't risk meeting anyone from your old team in person."

No indeed, Jonathan Turner had no intentions at all of raising awkward questions. There was no doubt about that. Neal would stay away from the FBI and any agent from the White Collar division.

He was flippant in his reply, promising that he knew better than risking his exposure. The con man knew how to smile her worries away. But deep down, he felt a distinct sadness that he wouldn't be able to reconnect with his old friend, discussing the necklace theft with Peter Burke. Maybe, driving the agent crazy with some carefully placed hints he might be involved himself in the crime. Hell no, he would stay out of Peter Burke's reach. It was better for both of them.

 **AN:**  
After a long while, I felt like writing White Collar fanfic again. I hope you like it...  
Still hoping for a real White Collar sequel, one day, maybe not 2017 though.  
This story will have 3 short chapters. Anyone volunteering to beta-read? You'd be welcome.  
The necklace I featured in this story is a real thing. The Maharani of Baroda, aka Sita Devi, owned an incredible treasure of jewels.


	2. Chapter 2

Jonathan Turner arranged a meeting with Daniel Beau Marshall to investigate the crime scene and get more background information. Marshall's story seemed to be consistent. He left the house at 9 pm, came back at 2 am - finding his staff unconscious, and the necklace was gone. He called 911 immediately. There were a lot of witnesses at the party, plus the limo driver to confirm the story. Only 2 members of the staff had been at home that evening. Both were quite old and had already worked for Mr. Marshall senior. It was highly unlikely that they were involved in any criminal activity.

Neal has been out of town for years, his contacts, however, were still intact. No one got wind of anyone hiring a crew for the job, looking for expert knowledge on the particular security system or attempts to sell the item or ship it out of the country. This was unusual. But if the criminals were a well-organized gang from out of town, it wasn't unheard-of.

The ex-consultant felt the need to understand how the FBI investigations were conducted. Since it was no option to actually meet and talk to the team, he decided to put a bit of surveillance in place. When he had been running a con, it helped to know everything about the mark in order to predict his next move. Feel the case!

Besides, it wouldn't hurt to follow Peter Burke, getting a bit closer even from a distance.

*** WC ***

Peter Burke was frustrated. There was absolutely no progress in the investigation of the necklace theft. Something about the crime irritated him. He had thought quite a few times that his former consultant, Neal Caffrey, would have been thrilled by this piece of jewelry - the sparkle, the value, and of course the history of the epic piece. It wasn't unlikely that his CI might have thought about ways to transfer the necklace into his own private stash.

However, the ex-criminal might be the only one to solve the crime. So far, every trace they followed turned out to be a dead end. Peter Burke felt he was missing something.

Probably because he was thinking about his former consultant quite a lot, his subconscious was occupied by memories of Neal Caffrey. He has missed his friend ever since the Pink Panther operation debacle. Yet it hasn't happened for quite a while that he thought he has seen Neal, catching him out of the corner of his eye, just for a moment believing he's real.

Now it was happening again. Earlier this morning, while waiting for his coffee, for a split second there was Caffrey standing at the newspaper stand outside. Yesterday, on his stopover at the dry cleaner, there was that guy disappearing into the subway. His back looked so Neal-ish. Furthermore, he could have sworn, the other day when he was heading for lunch, he heard a guy calling a taxi - sounding like Neal.

So, before going crazy, why not looking at the crime as the ex-criminal would have done. Trying to solve the puzzle by looking at it from a different angle.

*** WC ***

Upon request, Sara got Neal the details about the security system at Marshall's home. They didn't show anything unusual. The invoice for the high-end work, however, caught Neal's attention. He called the security company to check the details. Sterling Bosch had informed them that they had someone looking into the security installation. Therefore, they were willing to share all information needed.

That evening, Neal was excited and pleased with himself. "You know, Sara, there is a certain likelihood that your bonus this year will be just as rich as every year. I'm starting to unravel the scheme."

Sara Ellis was curious and hit him with questions. To her utter frustration, he refused to share any details until he could prove his theory correct.

*** WC ***

The very next morning, Caffrey was just in time to stake out Peter Burke on his coffee run. 7:35 am, 44th Street, between 6th Avenue and Broadway. The little shop served a good Italian roast. By all appearances, the agent has acquired an expensive taste for coffee. The ex-consultant smirked.

Neal was hiding at his usual spot behind a newspaper stand. The agent was running late today...

Suddenly, someone patted him on the back, then handed him a paper cup smelling invitingly of Espresso.

When Caffrey turned around, he stared into Peter Burke's smug grin. "Caffrey, I thought I reward your effort and get you a coffee. Walk with me!"

Taking Neal Caffrey by surprise, priceless!

However, the con man needed only a couple of seconds to slip into the role, giving him a radiant smile. "You must have mistaken me for someone else. If I may introduce myself... I'm Jonathan Turner, a freelance insurance investigator from England, currently on vacation in New York. Pleased to meet you. Maybe you could recommend some interesting locations to visit."

Peter Burke grinned. Simply unbelievable how much he had missed that fake megawatt smile, those blue eyes full of mischief. "I'd recommend staying away from Wall Street. I heard there is a certain risk to fall victim to gun shootings."

It still hurt to recall the image of the dying criminal consultant, pale and with blue lips. Neal Caffrey's greatest con. "You look good. I'm glad to see you're doing well. Coming to New York is risky, though. What made you come back? I hope it's nothing wrong with June."

They talked for a while. Peter shared photos of El and little Neal. They strolled through Bryant Park, chatting and laughing. Finally, they discussed the case of the stolen necklace.

Caffrey shared his suspicion. "There is a second safe in the house. It was undocumented but is the same model as the one that was cracked open. The FBI files show no sign that you were aware of this. The invoice for the security installation was too high. So, I started asking around. Marshall told the security company to keep it a secret as an additional means of safety."

The FBI agent followed the train of thoughts. "The necklace has never left the house. He took it himself and is hiding it in the second safe."

Only to add a few moments later, quite annoyed, "That double-dealing bastard..."

His former consultant agreed. "You should get a search warrant and look into that safe!"

Unfortunately, the agent had little hope of obtaining a search warrant. "We don't have any evidence. A second safe is not enough to convince a judge.'

Jonathan Turner had already worked out a contingency plan. "If a gifted thief breaks into the secret safe, retrieves the necklace and hands it over to Sterling Bosch, Mr. Marshall wouldn't see a dime from the insurance. He wouldn't be convicted as a criminal either. But looking at his financial records, I'd say he will be verging on bankruptcy. With his history of living on inherited money for the last 40 years without ever working on his own, I can assure you that would be quite a punishment."

Peter Burke had some concerns regarding the plan. "What if the gifted thief is too intrigued by the late Maharani's attire, thus decides to keep it for himself? That necklace is made of an abundance of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. It would be tempting for anyone who loves beautiful or shiny objects of value... If that gifted thief is able to change his alias without effort, usually carrying a couple of extra passports, why should I expect him to hand it over to the authorities instead of fleeing the country? He might have a history of disappearing..."

Caffrey held the agent's gaze with a convincing look. "That extremely gifted thief might have given his word to the insurance agent in charge and won't let her down. Besides, he might also have turned into a super gifted but reformed thief thanks to a moderately talented FBI agent. Hypothetically."

The FBI agent couldn't help laughing. "Sara is still breathing down your neck? I'm impressed."

The reformed thief disagreed indignantly. "She's not breathing down my neck. Our partnership is based on mutual benefits. She trusts me. I won't betray that trust. Actually, I kind of promised her that I won't meet you or anyone else from the FBI. Which is okay, because technically I didn't meet you, but you met me! So, I'm good. However, she might be a bit close-minded about that point of view. We'd rather not share this little piece of information."


	3. Chapter 3

Agent Burke won't admit it no matter what – but he has missed the excitement of working with Neal Caffrey. You won't find undercover operations like these lined out in FBI training manuals, well prepared, but still depending on a grain of luck – they were always an adventure worth the hassle. He has missed the friendship as well as the thrill.

He told his team to bring Daniel Marshall in for another interrogation. The agent enjoyed keeping the guy there for almost 3 hours to repeat the same questions they had already asked weeks ago over and over again. Watching the suspect getting increasingly annoyed was just the icing on the cake.

*** WC ***

A civic employee informed the remaining staff at Marshall's home about emergency repair work at the gas service line. It won't take long but they had to leave the house for an hour or two.

Instead of working at the gas service pipe, the handsome man in a protective coverall broke the safe open, took out the necklace that once belonged to the Maharani of Baroda, and left a necklace made of pasta, chained on a thread behind. Nothing wrong with having a bit of fun at work.

*** WC ***

Peter Burke got a message on his mobile phone " _The eagle has landed. Wanna see? Meet me at the coffee shop in 30._ "

Mr. Marshall didn't complain when the interrogation ended, so he could finally head home. The agent thanked him for the cooperation and reaffirmed that the FBI would spare no effort to retrieve the stolen item.

Over at the 44th Street, Neal has found a secluded corner in the coffee shop. There was a velvety jewelry box sitting on the table.

The older man was aghast at this sight. "Don't tell me that you brought that $29 million valuable object and it's right here in front of my eyes?"

The blue eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Why, yes. You need to see it for yourself. It's incredible, fantastic, mind-blowing. Now stop huffing and puffing. No one but you and I will be able to catch a glimpse of the little precious."

Peter sighed meaningfully. "You sound like Gollum, ' _my little precious_ '. Your eyes are glistening feverish. Tell me that you have no intentions of keeping the loot!"

Only when he opened the box to look at the stunning jewelry, he felt fascinated himself. Knowing his former consultant, he had concerns that the temptation of keeping the gem might be too hard to resist.

As such, he suggested a change of plan. "You could hand it over to me right now and here. The FBI will take care of it, return it to the rightful owner, and inform Sterling Bosch immediately."

Neal had other ideas. "No way! Your lack of trust is offending! Sara has to celebrate the success of retrieving this stolen goody. This is her triumph. You know, my consulting services are much more expensive nowadays than back in the days when I was pressed to work for the FBI for chump change. I need to prove that I'm worth the money."

A careful listener might have heard the FBI agent muttering under his breath "Pressed to work for the FBI..."

However, they agreed to stick to the original plan. On Monday morning at the latest, Sterling Bosch would return the necklace to Daniel Marshall. No one would learn about Peter being involved in this. Sara wouldn't disclose the secret source who retrieved the stolen good – which wasn't unusual practice in the insurance business.

The good-bye was bitter-sweet. Peter hugged Neal. "I missed you all these years! Will I see you again?"

His friend answered evasively. "You and your family are always welcome in Florence. That's where I live now. It is such a charming city, full of history, culture and delicious food. You should come over for a holiday, see my apartment. I have rented a whole floor in an old Palazzo. It has a stunning view over the medieval town center."

The agent saw through the tactics. "So, you have no plans of returning to New York? As much as I would love to have you around, I don't even want to imagine the trouble you'd get in when the authorities find out that you are alive."

Caffrey wasn't stupid, accordingly well aware of that fact. "I know. Coming over was a onetime jaunt. I will fly back to Europe on Monday and won't tempt fate a second time. I'm going to buy an I LOVE NY tee at the airport and a coffee mug at Starbucks with the NY skyline. That's it. Just like any other tourist, I will return to my real life. No more travelling to New York."

Neal didn't have to mention that he was going to miss the agent as well. It was obvious when you looked into his sad eyes.

"Take care, Caffrey! If you ever need me, just call. I'll find you."

*** WC ***

When Sara Ellis came home that evening, she found a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket on the dining table next to a jewelry box - with the velvet lid open for the diamonds, rubies and emeralds to shed radiance.

"Caffrey, you really know how to impress a girl! This bling-bling is truly a feast for the eyes. It is amazing. _You_ are amazing!"

She took the necklace gently out of the box and admired its beauty. She had never owned or held anything like that in her hands. It felt good, sumptuous. Not her usual style, but it had a great appeal.

Caffrey looked like a cat that got the cream. "The Maharani of Baroda who has ordered the creation of this piece was a strong woman. She loved her jewels, more than she loved her husband actually. But she knew what she wanted and also how to get it. Sounds familiar?"

Sara put the necklace carefully back into the velvet box with a little sigh. Then, she started looking for her phone. "I'm going to call my management. They will be delighted by the news."

Neal hold her back. "Wait, you can call them tomorrow or Sunday for all I care. Let's celebrate the success of the operation and pay some respect to this extraordinary piece of jewelry. It deserves to be cherished instead of being locked away in a constricting, dark box."

Sara raised her eyebrows. "What's on your mind?"

Apparently, her house guest had a clear conception about how to pay honor to the necklace. "I think you should wear this precious item tonight. I'm sure it looks even better on you than on the late Maharani. The brilliance of the gems on your bare skin - I'd love to paint that."

So, Sara spent the night wearing nothing else but the rare jewel. They drank champagne, had fun, reveled in luxury. Neal hasn't been mistaken, the necklace looked spectacular on the redhead.

Finally, she fell asleep in the early morning hours, tired by their spontaneous, but extensive celebration. Neal used the light of the blue hours to sketch her sleeping beauty, hair going wild with the jewels gracing her collar bones. Back in Florence, he would create an oil painting using the quick sketches and send it to her. Sara would go raving mad when she realized that he had painted her. She was adorable when she was mad.

On Saturday, Sara put the necklace into her safe. Then, both of them enjoyed the day strolling around New York, visiting a gallery, eating bizarre yet overpriced street food at a market in Brooklyn, and having fancy cocktails after visiting an Off-Broadway play.

*** WC ***

Neal's visit ended Sunday at noon after an extended brunch. Being aware that it was uncertain when they would meet again, the good-bye kiss was quite long and passionate. When the taxi was honking outside, he finally broke the embrace to sing a little tune in low voice for his girlfriend:

 _So kiss me and smile for me  
_ _Tell me that you'll wait for me  
_ _Hold me like you'll never let me go  
_ _'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane  
_ _Don't know when I'll be back again  
_ _Oh babe, I hate to go_

However, no matter if it took weeks or months for their reunion to take place, this was not the end of their story.

He headed back to the airport with a heavy heart. He loved his carefree life in Florence. But if he had a choice, he'd change it any day for moving back to New York and his friends. However, this wasn't an option and he wouldn't wallow in self-pity.

*** WC ***

Sara finally made some senior insurance managers very happy by breaking the news about the finding of the necklace.

Upon request, Sara went to the FBI office on Monday morning to answer questions regarding the retrieval of the necklace.

Peter Burke himself lead the interview. Ms. Ellis claimed that she paid a ransom of $50,000 and the necklace was placed on her doorstep Sunday morning. A guy named "Rudy the Rat" contacted her earlier last week; he sent her pictures to prove he possessed the stolen good, and asked for $100 thousand, but settled for half of that.

The FBI team asked questions about the transaction, her source and background information. However, she remained vague on the details which wasn't unusual for deals like that.

Finally, Agent Burke asked the last questions. "So, you haven't seen the guy who sent the necklace? He called you from a prepaid mobile phone which is dead now?"

Sara agreed that she has never met the guy before who put the necklace on her doorstep. Peter Burke seemed to buy her story.

Before she left, they had the usual small talk. How has London been? Were El and the boy okay? Got Sara used to her new home in New York? The Burkes really got a young puppy? And so on and so forth.

None of them mentioned Neal Caffrey – but both of them were thinking about the mutual friend who was probably sipping real Italian espresso by now in his palazzo in Florence, living the good life, full of fun, that seemed to be his ideal.

Both of them missing him dearly.

 **AN:**

Thank you for the nice reviews and words of appreciation! It means a lot to me that you like the little story I have made up.  
I don't think that Neal will be able to stay away from New York. I rather expect him to find an important reason to return. This story is complete now, but there will be a sequel.  
The song Neal was singing is _Leaving on a jetplane_. Just imagine him humming it directly into your ear. Sigh...


End file.
